Star Sports Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 17:40 | Winning time: 6m 32.89s

Norton Hill^b,t³²

Age: 8| Weight: 12-0| J: Sam Twiston-Davies| T: A J Honeyball| OR: 120| D

13/8

Bumper winner for Jack Barber who has been steadily progressive over hurdles for Anthony Honeyball, winning pair of 25.5f handicaps at Hereford at the end of 2023. Respectable return from a break when fourth of 11 at Plumpton (25f, good) last month.

Form: 3F2/114-

Island Run^p1¹⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 11-4| J: M G Nolan| T: P Hobbs & J White| OR: 110| BF

15/8

Dual winner over hurdles and arrives on the back of placed efforts at Huntingdon (chase) and Kempton (hurdle) this spring. Cheekpieces on first time. Likely to go well again.

Form: 25843-2

Earth King^p1²⁵

Age: 8| Weight: 11-1| J: H Cobden| T: N P Mulholland| OR: 107

9/2

Went the wrong way over fences last season but his hurdle mark has come down at the same time and he's dangerously well treated if the combination of a return to hurdles and first-time cheekpieces spark a revival.

Form: P535PP-

Blue Ridge Hill^v1²⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 10-8| J: R T Dunne| T: S Drinkwater| OR: 100

15/2

Runner-up all 3 starts in bumpers but only modest form since switched to hurdles, beaten just over 13 lengths when fourth of 7 at Hexham last month. A first-time visor replaces the blinkers he wore at Hexham.

Form: 3/575P4-

Emotional Memories⁷⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 10-8| J: Thomas Bellamy| T: D J Jeffreys| OR: 100

16/1

Showed ability in a bumper and posted best effort over hurdles (albeit having set the slow pace) when third at Lingfield (23f, heavy) in February. Mistakes when pulled up over fences since and connections waste no time returning him to timber.

Form: 382P3P-

Forecasts

Norton Hill (13/8), Island Run (15/8), Earth King (9/2), Blue Ridge Hill (15/2), Emotional Memories (16/1)

EARTH KING has lost the plot over fences but is well treated on the form he showed over hurdles last spring and might be worth chancing back over timber in first-time headgear. Island Run has been back to form this spring and is second choice ahead of Norton Hill.